National Conference of WCD
Manipur women helpline effectively solved 95 per cent issues till date: Nemcha
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

New Delhi, July 17 2018: Social Welfare Minister Nemcha Kipgen stated that Manipur has effectively started the implementation the Women Helpline, with nearly 266 cases received in the past few months and 95 per cent cases solved since its launch a year back.

This was expressed by Nemcha Kipgen at the National Conference of Ministers in Charge of Women and Child Development, held today at Le Meridian Hotel, New Delhi.

Union Minister, Women and Child Development (WCD), Government of India, Maneka Gandhi, Minister of State, Dr Virendra Kumar, Ministry of WCD graced the conference as chief guest and guest of honour respectively while Ministers in charge of WCD from all the States and UTs were also part of the conference.

Topics on women safety, child safety, welfare and adoption and POSHAN Abiyaan, PMMVY, ICDS were deliberated during the conference.

Minister Nemcha highlighted these topics in context of Manipur.

In view of women safety, she said that the State has initiated the Mahila Shakti Kendra while adding that there is a need for inter-linking of women helpline of all States for interstate referral services and a system to incorporate in the Swadhar homes, for ensuring the inheritance of property rights for destitute women in order to empowered them.

She highlighted that a specific scheme for imparting self defence classes to all female students and young women from class VI onwards should be incorporated to ensure women's safety.

Nemcha said peer groups can also be formed to give an opportunity to share experiences emotionally and financially for the marginalized women in localities.

Provision for women toilets along the NH should also be made compulsory, asserted Nemcha.

She further stated that rehabilitation of destitute and exploited women through various activities like computer training, commercial vehicle driving, handloom/handicraft, horticulture, fruits and vegetable production can be strengthened in the Swadhar and Ujjawala homes.

An exclusive market outlet or marketing linkages for the products of such women should be provided, she added.

Regarding Child Safety, Welfare and Adoption, Nemcha continued that Manipur has created Juvenile Justice Fund and all the Child Care Institute (CCI) in the State are registered under JJ Act while all children in the CCI are Aadhaar enrolled.

Meanwhile, the Legal cum Probation officers are designated as child marriage prohibition officers thereby causing a convergence between JJ Act, POCSO Act and child marriage prohibition Act.

Thus, more than 25 cases of child marriage have prevented through this, she said.

Drawing the attention of the Union Minister, Maneka Gandhi, Nemcha expressed that there is a rise in POCSO and Child trafficking cases.

Although the guidelines provide for village child protection committees, there is an urgent need to strengthen them, financially and empower with authoritative powers.

It is also essential to have separate specialised institutions for temporary reception of these children and a long term economic and educational facilities for these categories with technical and financial support of State and Central Govt, Nemcha stated.

There is also a need to concentrate on children in conflict with law, where vocational training and educational facilities should be provided to them, however, the monthly allowance makes it difficult for any such activities to be carried out, she added.

She maintained that, as Manipur stands 3rd among the HIV/AIDS prevalent State of India, there are more than 2811 children with HIV while 1450 are on ART.

Most of them are from incapacitated families and are very much eligible for the sponsorship programme.

She urged that there is an urgent need to increase child support under the sponsorship in the context of Manipur.

Nemcha also proposed for having a separate seniority list for prospective adoptive parents for every State or at least at the regions.

During the session for POSHAN Abiyaan, PMMVY, ICDS, she informed that Manipur is in the process of implementing Poshan Abiyaan in a full-fledged manner.

The ground work is already in full force while PMMVY has also been implemented effectively, reaching out to the most interior parts of the State.

The revamped Anganwadi services is also being effectively implemented in Manipur and are also in the process of creating model Anganwadi centres in all the projects to make it a people's movement, Nemcha noted.

At the same time, Nemcha proposed the need for separate fund allotment for construction of Anganwadi Centres till it is saturated fully.

Minister Nemcha Kipgen is hopeful that all the concerns and achievements highlighted in the conference to the Union Minister and her team will definitely channelise into action, keeping in mind for the welfare of all the people.

Nemcha Kipgen was accompanied by Secretary, Social Welfare, Jacintha Lazarus for the conference.

The conference was organised by Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI .

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